Police Seek Suspect In Burglary Spree On The Upper East Side
NEW YORK (CBS 2) -- Police were investigating a string of burglaries on the Upper East Side.
As CBS 2's John Slattery reports, the series of thefts points to the obvious need to keep apartment doors locked.
Police released a very clear surveillance picture, and said they were hopeful that someone will identify the suspect, putting an end to the burglary spree that has plagued several Upper East Side locations.
Three of the thefts took place in a building on 82nd Street near East End, and another was in a building a few blocks further down 82nd Street.
The burglaries were all low-risk crimes of opportunity, authorities said. In each case, the suspect took advantage of doors that were left unlocked.
"I would like to get him out of here, but what do you do about it?" Nadja Witkowski, who lives at a building where one of the burglaries occurred, said. "I'm frightened."
Police said the man was suspected in eight burglaries at six locations – three on East 82nd, one on East 73rd, and two on East 63rd – over a two-week period in April. Warning posters went up in Ndeh Tawah's building, and he said he always tries to keep his doors secure.
"I've always locked my door – have to be cautious everywhere you live," Tawah said. "We're living in a city, it's a big city, there are a lot of bad people."
The burglar, who took jewelry, was described as 40 to 45 years old, about 6' 2" with gold-rimmed glasses. He struck mostly in the early morning hours, and in one case a woman was home while he carted off her loot.
Police said no weapon was displayed in any of the thefts, and that no one was injured.
